Edinburgh's Old Town

Literary Scotland

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Overview

Suggested Itinerary

What's Included?

Accommodation & Prices

Car Hire

Overview

Self-Drive Holidays

9 Nights

Fully customisable itinerary
Prices from: £1415 per person
Best time to go: April - October
Transport: Rental car included (optional)

Highlights

Edinburgh

Charming and vibrant, Edinburgh is Scotland’s ancient capital city and a hub for culture and creativity. Edinburgh was the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature and has provided inspiration for writers such as J.K. Rowling and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Literary icons

Delve into the background of some of the most celebrated literary figures to emerge from Scotland and understand the land that influenced their writing and the setting where they first put pen to paper.

Trossachs National Park

Explore the romantic and inspiring Trossachs National Park, which was written about by Queen Victoria in her diary. Stop at Loch Katrine for a memorable journey on the Sir Walter Scott paddle steamer.

Burns Country

Discover the land that inspired Scotland’s National Poet, Rabbie Burns, and explore the museum dedicated to his life in the conservation village of Alloway. The picturesque village is also the home to Alloway Auld Kirk, the inspiration for the famous poem Tam O’Shanter.

Find inspiration

Find the writer in yourself through time spent relaxing and soaking in the wonderful scenery and landscapes across your journey. From views of mystical lochs to rolling green countryside these vistas have always invoked inspiration.

Scottish Borders

The borders have been home to many famous Scottish figures including Sir Walter Scott, author of such texts as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. Explore the abbeys and towns of this picturesque and less discovered region and visit Sir Walter Scott’s birthplace in Abbotsford.

A Literary Inspired Journey Through Scotland

Our literary tour of Scotland travels from Edinburgh to the Borders, the Burns Country of Ayrshire and through the Trossachs National Park, taking in the incredible landscapes that inspired some of the most famous Scottish writers, and indeed writers from around the world. From Robert Louis Stephenson to Sir Walter Scott, some of the finest writers in history have begun their work in Scotland.

Scotland has provided inspiration to many writers both in the present day and throughout history. On this journey through southern and central Scotland discover the places that stirred Scotland’s finest writers, including the location where Sir Walter Scott overcame his writer’s block, the birthplace of Robert Burns, and the landscapes that inspired the romantic literature that kicked off Scottish tourism.

Beginning in Edinburgh, tour the streets that served as the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series and climb the Scott Monument dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. A trip to the Writers Museum hidden away in James’ Court off the famous Royal Mile is a must, as is a detour to Rosslyn Chapel featured in Dan Brown’s Davinci Code.

From Edinburgh head towards the Scottish Borders, taking in the countryside that inspired many a storyline of Sir Walter Scott. Here, you can also visit the four impressive Border Abbeys of Melrose, Kelso, Jedburgh and Dryburgh in a relatively undiscovered and delightfully rural part of Scotland.

Heading West you will explore the Burns Country of Ayrshire before travelling back through the beautiful Trossachs National Park. It is easy to see here, how the landscapes of Scotland have influenced great works of literature and we are sure you will leave inspired and full of wisdom about Scotland’s literary history.

There are numerous book festivals that take place in Scotland throughout the calendar year, including the world’s largest book festival in Edinburgh. There is scope to combine your holiday with one of these so please do mention if you are interested in this in your enquiry.

Suggested Itinerary

The holiday ideas on our website are just examples of the amazing trips we offer. Think of this itinerary as a starting point which can be tailored into something completely unique to you by our award-winning specialists.

We love the opportunity to use our first-hand knowledge and experience to design and deliver the perfect, bespoke holiday experience for you.

Day 1: Arrive in Edinburgh

Arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland’s impressive capital and UNESCO City of Literature. Climb the Scott Monument, the largest monument to a writer ever built, and discover why ‘Scotland never owed so much to one man’ – Sir Walter Scott.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 2: Edinburgh Sightseeing

Continue your literary adventure as we reserve you a place on the Edinburgh Book Lovers’ Tour. Visit the sites and haunts of Edinburgh’s literary legends – including Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ian Rankin, and J.K. Rowling.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 3: Edinburgh Sightseeing

Complete your time in Edinburgh with a final glance at the buildings that inspired Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Spend time exploring the Writers’ Museum, before paying a visit to the monument to Rabbie Burns. Finally, discover famous literary quotes engraved in stone on the exterior of the Scottish Parliament.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 4: Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders

Depart Edinburgh and search for the Holy Grail at Rosslyn Chapel as featured in the Da Vinci Code, before continuing your journey south into the beautiful Scottish Borders. Stop by Scott’s View and enjoy the vista over the Eildon Hills and the River Tweed, as Sir Walter Scott did before you.
Overnight – Melrose

Day 5: The Borders Sightseeing

Immerse yourself in the very landscapes that inspired the ‘Father of Scottish Tourism,’ Walter Scott, and visit his former home at Abbotsford. Wander through Scott’s study where he wrote some of his most famous novels, before exploring his favourite Borders haunts that provided inspiration for many of his storylines and characters. Discover the delights of the Border Abbeys and the rural tranquillity of this beautiful area of Scotland.
Overnight – Melrose

Day 6: The Borders to Ayrshire

Head west to Ayrshire and immerse yourself in the homeland of Robert Burns. Stop by the Tibbie Shiels Inn at St Mary’s Loch to discover where many of the finest Borders ballads were penned by Sir Walter and James Hogg, such as ‘the Ettrick Shepherd.’ Take a detour to Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town before arriving in Ayrshire.
Overnight – Alloway

Day 7: Ayrshire Sightseeing

A full day to explore Burns Country and discover more about the man behind the genius. Visit the award-winning Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and discover the locations that inspired our National Bard’s famous poem, Tam O’Shanter.
Overnight – Alloway

Day 8: Ayrshire to the Trossachs

Drive north from Ayrshire into the spectacular Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Discover the scenery that Queen Victoria loved so dearly and wrote about in her journal. Enjoy a taste of the Highlands and marvel at how quickly the scenery changes as you get closer to lochs and mountains.
Overnight – Callander

Day 9: The Trossachs Sightseeing

Take the ‘High Road’ to Loch Lomond and discover the incredible scenery that inspired so many writers, and transformed Scotland from a land of savages to a desirable tourist destination. Take a pleasure cruise on the steamship Sir Walter Scott at Loch Katrine, where he wrote the acclaimed poem The Lady of the Lake. Breathe in the medicinal fresh air as Queen Victoria came to do, and see how easy it was for the writers of the day to be inspired by this wild, romantic landscape.
Overnight – Callander

Day 10: The Trossachs to Edinburgh and Depart

If time allows, travel to the Kingdom of Fife to visit the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, who provided the inspiration for the classic novel Robinson Crusoe. Then travel over the Forth Road Bridge and into Edinburgh where your literary journey will end.
Overnight – Callander

What's Included?

Your holiday includes:

Carefully selected en-suite accommodation for 9 nights including traditional Scottish breakfast
Comprehensive information pack
Personalised itinerary with our recommendations for the best places to eat and drink and sightseeing suggestions
Map of Scotland with our recommended driving route
7 days rental of an Economy car (other vehicle categories available) including comprehensive insurance
Tickets for the Edinburgh Book Lovers' Tour
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Flights
Lunches and evening meals

Accommodation & Prices

Special Places to Stay

Premium

Standard

We know that after a busy day of sightseeing an exceptional place to stay makes all the difference. That’s why all of the accommodation we select is hand-picked using our first-hand knowledge of the best places to stay.

Our discerning team has a wealth of experience, and we extensively research and regularly review all of the accommodation we select for our clients.

Please choose from one of our accommodation categories below. If you wish to combine these categories or perhaps upgrade for a special occasion let us know in your enquiry.

Car Hire

Our packages include car rental and comprehensive insurance for the duration of your holiday. Absolute Escapes has an excellent relationship with a number of car hire operators and we are able to offer quality vehicles and great value for money.

If you plan to bring your own vehicle, we are also able to offer this itinerary without a rental car.

All our packages include:

Collision Damage Waiver
Super Damage Excess Waiver
Third Party Insurance
Theft Waiver
Tax

Economy

Vauxhall Corsa or similar

Good for 2 people
Maximum of 4 passengers
2 large suitcases
Manual or automatic transmission

Compact

Ford Focus or similar

Good for 2 – 4 people
Maximum of 5 passengers
2 large suitcases
Manual or automatic transmission

Intermediate

Volkswagen Passat or similar

Good for up to 4 people
Maximum of 5 passengers
3 large suitcases
Manual or automatic transmission

Fullsize

VW Sharan or similar

Good for 5 people
Maximum of 7 passengers
3 – 4 large suitcases
Manual or automatic transmission

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